2G scam: NGO for monitoring of probe by experts

New Delhi: An NGO, which alleged that the CBI investigation in the 2G spectrum scam was less than honest as it was not probing many high-profile persons including Home Minister P Chidambaram, today stressed in the Supreme Court the need for setting up of a committee of experts for effective monitoring of the probe in the case.

"In order to assist the court it is imperative and essential to entrust the matter to at least two persons of eminence for monitoring the probe," advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), submitted before a bench of justice G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly.

The NGO expressed apprehension of the case collapsing in the trial court on the ground that CBI investigation was less than honest like the Hawala case of 1996 involving high profile persons.

Bhushan said several aspects of the 2G scam have not been touched by the CBI including the assets of persons mentioned in the diary recovered from former telecom minister A Raja.

He also contested the submission of the CBI and the Centre that monitoring comes to an end with the completion of the probe and filing of the charge sheet by giving example of various cases including the Gujarat riot cases, saying the apex court appointed the Special Investigating Team after the charge sheets were filed in most of the cases.

Bhushan said the CBI probe has to be more independent and should be monitored by a committee like SIT because most of the top officers in the agency are IPS and the Home Ministry is thier cadre-controlling authority.

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